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Average Shipping Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A shipping manager in United Kingdom earns about 94,000 GBP a year. That's 35% above the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 45,300 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 153,800 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a shipping manager make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
94,000 GBP
7,833 GBP per month
Lowest reported
45,300 GBP
3,775 GBP per month
Highest reported
153,800 GBP
12,816 GBP per month

A typical shipping manager working in United Kingdom brings home around 7,833 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 45,300 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 153,800 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior shipping manager working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the shipping manager salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How shipping manager pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all shipping managers in United Kingdom earn less than 102,700 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 67,800 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 139,100 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of shipping managers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 45,300 GBP. The highest stretch to 153,800 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

45,300
Low
102,700
Median
153,800
High
67,800
25th
139,100
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Shipping manager pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a shipping manager in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical shipping manager salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    49,700 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +33% from previous
    65,900 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +49% from previous
    98,000 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +22% from previous
    119,700 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +9% from previous
    130,500 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    140,200 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 49%. That is the point at which a shipping manager typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Shipping manager pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving shipping manager pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average shipping manager salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    59,900 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +22% from previous
    73,200 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +44% from previous
    105,200 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +32% from previous
    138,700 GBP

Shipping manager gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male shipping managers in United Kingdom earn an average of 97,400 GBP a year, while female shipping managers earn around 95,100 GBP. That works out to a 2% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Shipping Manager gender pay gap

2%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 97,400 GBP
Women 95,100 GBP

Pay raises for a shipping manager in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 11% every 17 months, which works out to roughly 8% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Shipping manager bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

37%

37% of shipping managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a shipping manager a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 63% of shipping managers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Shipping manager: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Shipping manager salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Shipping manager pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Leeds
  • Cardiff
  • Birmingham
  • Manchester
  • London
  • Leicester
  • Liverpool
  • Bradford
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion185,900 GBP201,000 GBP87,700-296,400 GBP
ScotlandRegion140,200 GBP146,700 GBP68,200-219,500 GBP
LeedsCity114,600 GBP109,700 GBP60,400-172,100 GBP
CardiffCity114,600 GBP109,000 GBP59,800-172,300 GBP
BirminghamCity114,600 GBP124,500 GBP53,600-180,500 GBP
ManchesterCity114,300 GBP118,900 GBP56,800-182,400 GBP
LondonCity114,300 GBP123,800 GBP51,900-183,600 GBP
LeicesterCity112,700 GBP121,800 GBP53,300-177,200 GBP
LiverpoolCity111,700 GBP107,300 GBP57,800-168,700 GBP
BradfordCity111,700 GBP114,600 GBP55,600-172,100 GBP
NottinghamCity111,700 GBP114,600 GBP55,600-172,100 GBP
GlasgowCity111,700 GBP107,700 GBP56,900-169,700 GBP
DerbyCity109,000 GBP105,200 GBP55,200-163,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity109,000 GBP115,600 GBP48,300-172,300 GBP
CoventryCity109,000 GBP108,200 GBP51,100-167,100 GBP
BristolCity108,200 GBP118,900 GBP51,300-176,300 GBP
SheffieldCity107,700 GBP114,300 GBP50,800-169,700 GBP
SomersetCity107,300 GBP103,600 GBP54,700-164,100 GBP
PlymouthCity107,300 GBP109,000 GBP51,400-165,900 GBP
BelfastCity105,800 GBP114,600 GBP46,700-166,600 GBP
EdinburghCity105,800 GBP107,700 GBP52,000-163,500 GBP
SwanseaCity105,800 GBP100,700 GBP54,700-160,600 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity105,200 GBP107,300 GBP51,100-161,300 GBP
AberdeenCity103,600 GBP98,000 GBP54,300-157,600 GBP
DundeeCity103,600 GBP108,200 GBP48,200-161,300 GBP
NewcastleCity102,700 GBP98,900 GBP53,500-158,900 GBP
PooleCity102,700 GBP100,300 GBP54,100-158,900 GBP
SouthamptonCity102,700 GBP105,800 GBP50,700-160,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity100,900 GBP109,000 GBP46,400-158,700 GBP
PeterboroughCity99,700 GBP109,000 GBP46,700-158,700 GBP
BrightonCity99,700 GBP94,300 GBP52,000-152,900 GBP
GloucesterCity99,400 GBP94,800 GBP52,300-150,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity98,700 GBP107,300 GBP45,700-157,600 GBP
LisburnCity97,600 GBP91,600 GBP49,800-148,300 GBP
YorkCity97,400 GBP100,900 GBP47,400-152,900 GBP
ArmaghCity97,200 GBP93,200 GBP49,700-148,300 GBP
NorwichCity96,800 GBP105,800 GBP43,100-153,700 GBP
DerryCity96,000 GBP97,600 GBP45,600-151,800 GBP
CambridgeCity95,600 GBP100,100 GBP46,700-153,800 GBP
ExeterCity95,500 GBP96,800 GBP46,200-150,100 GBP
SalisburyCity95,100 GBP92,000 GBP49,300-146,700 GBP
NewportCity95,000 GBP102,700 GBP45,200-153,800 GBP
CanterburyCity95,000 GBP90,300 GBP48,000-142,300 GBP
OxfordCity94,800 GBP91,600 GBP49,800-148,300 GBP
AbingdonCity93,800 GBP93,600 GBP44,200-142,300 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion93,600 GBP90,600 GBP50,800-146,700 GBP
WinchesterCity93,200 GBP90,000 GBP47,100-142,100 GBP
TruroCity93,100 GBP88,600 GBP48,600-141,000 GBP
LincolnCity92,600 GBP96,600 GBP46,700-148,300 GBP
StirlingCity92,200 GBP86,100 GBP49,000-141,000 GBP
WalesRegion91,900 GBP88,600 GBP45,300-140,700 GBP
KirkwallCity91,700 GBP92,100 GBP44,500-140,200 GBP
NewryCity91,500 GBP99,700 GBP44,300-148,300 GBP
InvernessCity90,900 GBP97,600 GBP40,300-146,700 GBP
WakefieldCity90,600 GBP97,200 GBP41,900-142,100 GBP
BangorCity90,000 GBP89,400 GBP44,500-139,100 GBP
DurhamCity89,800 GBP95,100 GBP42,000-141,000 GBP
ChesterCity89,400 GBP99,400 GBP41,000-142,300 GBP
RiponCity87,800 GBP92,000 GBP44,900-140,700 GBP
StromnessCity87,400 GBP91,700 GBP40,300-138,700 GBP
St DavidsCity87,300 GBP86,100 GBP41,400-132,000 GBP
WellsCity86,800 GBP88,300 GBP43,200-134,100 GBP
StrontianCity86,100 GBP88,300 GBP43,400-138,700 GBP

Shipping Manager in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a shipping manager make per month in United Kingdom?

    A shipping manager in United Kingdom earns about 7,833 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 94,000 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a shipping manager in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level shipping managers in United Kingdom start near 45,300 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 153,800 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 67,800 and 139,100 GBP.

  • Is the median shipping manager salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 102,700 GBP, higher than the average of 94,000 GBP. Half of shipping managers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for shipping managers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a shipping manager in United Kingdom earn around 2% more than women on average (97,400 vs 95,100 GBP a year).

  • Do shipping managers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 37% of shipping managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do shipping managers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a shipping manager about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do shipping managers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A shipping manager in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 17 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.